JC,
Don't know what the cause of your van's problem is.... but
whenever doing ANY electrical work it is best to disconnect the ground strap
from the negative terminal of the battery. That prevents most of the
possible shorts that could be caused by your work. It's the standard
procedure mentioned frequently in the Bentley... a good habit that can save
you some time and money in the long run.
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Clay <Jonyqest22@AOL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Sunday, March 21, 1999 2:30 PM
Subject: fuel pump relays?

>Hey everyone,
>Well since my last post over a month ago about my no start problem, it's
been
>at the shop most of the month.  It's been shop bound 3 times, each time i
got
>the beloved van back it died on me the same or next day back.  This past
>friday was the third time getting it back, and the mech. said it was the
relay
>for the fuel pump relay in the back.  What my van does is this:  when you
turn
>the ingition on everything works except there is no audible fuel pump
sound,
>that buzzing noise.  THe van turns over but does not start.  Today as after
I
>gave it a wash, oil change, I decided to fix the blown digital clock light
>after 1.75 yr of squinting at it at night.  So i disconnected everything
from
>the dash ie. speedometer cable, cruise control conection, main dash
harness,
>ect. ect., and pullled the old blown light and replaced with a new.  All
done
>with the ingition OFF.  After I had reassembled everything and attempted to
>start, she never got going again.  Now the first time I had it back from
the
>mech. I reassembled the dash, there were no screws holking it down, she
never
>started for me and left me stranded in the parking lot.  Now almost the
same
>situation dash wise, but this time I stranded myself in my own driveway.
Now,
>could I have blown the same relays again, is this a viable scenario for
this
>happening.  If it is the relays, the mech said there are two, the one in
the
>back in the little black bock in the engine compartment, where is the
second
>any input will help, ive spent approx 1200 in last month so now it time for
me
>to do some true figuring
>jc 88
>